- You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
- Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
- Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
- Subject to background/security investigation.
- Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
- Training-Service Agreement required.
- Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
- Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
- In order to be promoted to the GS-11 at program completion, TCF trainee participants must obtain RHIA or RHIT within the first 12-months of program participation. If you do not currently possess RHIA or RHIT credentials at the time of application, you must be eligible to earn such a credential within the next 12-months.
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
- your performance and conduct;
- the needs and interests of the agency;
- whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
- whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment. advances the public interest.
Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.
Education or Experience Requirement:
- Experience. Three years of creditable experience in the field of medical records that included the preparation, maintenance, and management of health records and health information systems demonstrating a knowledge of medical terminology, medical records procedures, medical coding, or medical, administrative, and legal requirements of health care delivery systems. OR
- Education. Successful completion of a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, with a major field of study in health information management, or a related degree with a minimum of 24 semester hours in health information management or health information technology. OR
- Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of creditable experience and education that equals 100 percent may be used to meet basic requirements. For example, two years above high school from an accredited college or university, with 12 semester hours in health information technology/health information management, plus one year and six months of creditable experience that included the preparation, maintenance, and management of health records and health information systems meets an equivalent combination.
Certification. Must meet one of the following:
Coding Certification through AHIMA or AAPC. NOTE: Mastery-level coding certification must be obtained through the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) or American Association of Professional Coders (AAPC). The certification must demonstrate comprehensive occupational competency. Specialty-only certifications do not meet mastery-level requirements and are not qualifying. Certification names may change, and qualifying certifications may be added or removed by the certifying organizations. Current acceptable mastery-level coding certifications include Certified Coding Specialist (CCS), Certified Coding Specialist - Physician-based (CCS-P), Certified Professional Coder (CPC), Certified Outpatient Coder (COC), and Certified Inpatient Coder (CIC).OR,
HIM Certification through AHIMA. NOTE: Acceptable higher-level health information management certifications are limited to AHIMA credentials demonstrating comprehensive occupational competency. Certification titles may change, and qualifying certifications may be added or removed by AHIMA. Current acceptable HIM certifications include Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) and Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA).. OR,
Health Data Analyst Certification through AHIMA. NOTE. This is limited to certification obtained through AHIMA. To be acceptable for qualifications, the specific certification must certify mastery in health data analysis. Certification titles may change and certifications that meet the definition of health data analyst certification may be added/removed by the above certifying body; however, current health data analyst certification includes Certified Health Data Analyst (CHDA).
You must submit a copy of your current certification with your application.
Grade Determinations:
GS-5: None beyond basic requirements.
GS-7: Experience: In addition to the basic requirements, one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level,
OR Education: (Advanced Entry-Level Placement). Applicants who meet the GS-5 grade level may be appointed at the GS-7 grade level, if they possess a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in a major field of study in health information management, with an exemplary academic record as demonstrated by: A 3.0 or higher-grade point average (GPA) out of a possible 4.0 GPA ("B" or better), as recorded on their official transcript or as computed based on four years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final two years of the curriculum; or A 3.5 GPA or higher out of a possible 4.0 GPA ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field of study, or the required courses completed in the major field of study during the final two years of the curriculum.
AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)
i. Knowledge of current classification systems such as International Classification of Diseases, Current Procedural Terminology, and the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS).
ii. Ability to effectively communicate (written and verbal) with medical center staff, patients, and external entities.
iii. Ability to use data collection and analytical techniques for purposes of review, quality control, studies and analysis of health information.
iv. Ability to utilize computer applications with varied functions to produce a wide range of reports, to abstract records, collect and analyze data and present results in various formats.
v. Ability to work independently, adapt to shifting priorities, and meet deadlines.
GS-9: Experience: In addition to the basic requirements, one year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics described at that level.
OR Education: Equivalent to two full years of progressively higher level graduate education or a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree from an accredited college or university in a field directly related to health information management.
AND Demonstrated KSAs.
Knowledge of medical and legal requirements related to health information management and health records.
ii. Ability to provide technical advice and [guidance] on health information management practices.
iii. Skill in extracting data from various sources and analyzing health information to create reports.
iv. Skill in researching, interpreting, and applying health information management guidelines.
v. Knowledge of performance and process improvement techniques to develop new or improved solutions in health information management
GS-11: Experience: In addition to the basic requirements, one year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that demonstrates all of the KSAs described at that level.
OR Education: Equivalent to three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education or a Ph.D., or equivalent doctoral degree from an accredited university or college in the field of health information management.
AND Demonstrated KSAs
i. Skill in performance and process improvement techniques to develop and implement new or improved solutions in health information management.
ii. Ability to advise management and staff, at various levels, regarding health record documentation requirements and health information management practices based on current industry standards, policies, statues, laws, and regulations.
iii. Ability to plan, justify, develop, evaluate, assess, monitor, and advise on current health information management processes and recommend changes in policies or procedures.
iv. Ability to determine and evaluate compliance with legal, ethical, and regulatory guidelines and accrediting bodies, as they apply to health information management.
v. Ability to acquire, manage, analyze, interpret, and transform data into accurate, consistent, and meaningful information.
References: VA Handbook 5005/130, May 28, 2020, PART II APPENDIX G33; For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
Physical Requirements: This position requires frequent visits to various areas of the hospital and occasionally construction areas. Standing, sitting, bending, stooping, kneeling, and carrying of light objects (documents, briefcases, etc.) is required. Is occasionally required to assist in work where vision and manual dexterity may be required.
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.
Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.
If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
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